Bitta advocates govt-sponsored welfare for terrorism affected

Jalandhar, Apr 5 (UNI) All India Anti-Terrorist Front Chairman Maninderjit Singh Bitta today advocated government-sponsored welfare for terrorist hit families including civilians, para-military forces and defence personnel.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Bitta said instead of paying one-time compensation to the victims' family, the government should take the responsibility for the rehabilitation of these families.

In this regard he would file a PIL in the Delhi High Court for providing free education with employment to the wards of those who fell victim to terrorists' bullets across the country,'' he said.

He said a seperate department was required to deal with such cases.

Mr Bitta also called upon the Pakistan government to commute the death sentence awarded to Sarabjit Singh, who had been languishing in Pakistan jail for the last 18 years for alleged involvement in bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan in 1990.

Sarabjit was scheduled to be hanged on April 1 but Pakistan President gencreted Pervez Musharraf, on the clemency appeal of the Indian Government and his family members, deferred the hanging to April 30.

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